Track 7

……

……

Let go of this case.

Aha, I just got back, so can we seriously stop with the boring talk~?

Man, I’m thirsty~ Did we have any alcohol?

Your methods are always risky. If you continue without beliefs of your own, you will eventually be ruined.

What?

(Wait, is he actually lecturing me? I really don’t need this guy patronizing me right now.)

What are you on about? It’s none of your business if I end up ruined.

I’m talking about how you live your life.

Yeah. But what I’m saying is, did we ever have any sort of relationship outside of work?

There is a certain way of doing things when it comes to dirty work.

There is no logic to your methods. I can’t stand to see you degrade yourself.

You’re asking me to do dirty work a certain way?

This area doesn’t need any more shadows than it already has. Your employer’s plans have already been investigated. Spreading unneeded toxins into the city will kill the land.

Isn’t it because the underworld exists that people like us can’t live unless we sip on the sweet honey?

Everything has a balance. I have no intention of tolerating a business that takes advantage of the weak.

Wow~. Those are some pretty words for a mafioso. But as long as we get paid, anything goes. That’s the Ninokuruwa way.

Those are Ninokuruwa’s beliefs. I’m asking for your beliefs, brat.

Are you planning to let Ninokuruwa use you until you die?

—Hah?

With your body in that state.

……!

…Haha.

I’ve already taken down two of the targets. I can already see how this job’s gonna end.

You’re going to lecture me when you couldn’t even protect them with your pretty methods?

Do you think those two scraps of paper are worth anything? This deal has a time limit.

I’ll prove to you on the last day that my way of doing things is right.

……

…Aw man, what to do. Think we should ask the chief to mediate?

There’s no saving you.

I’m going to bed. No more boring talk.

……

Ten! I bought a bunch of different kinds of food at the beach house! Did you know? Yakitori is a Fukuoka specialty too. This chicken rice also looks delicious!

Oh… Thanks, Renga-san. You can leave it there, I’ll pick at it.

Okay! Wow, this vinegared offal is really good! I didn’t know there were other ways to eat it outside of motsunabe¹!

Yeah, it seems like it’d be a good snack to go with alcohol.

(Glad the dog’s enjoying himself. I’m really not in the mood to be at the beach right now.)

(...You’re also from the other side. Look at you, laughing so innocently… Although, to a dog this probably means nothing anyway.)

Come to think of it, we went to the beach together last summer! That was so much fun…

Ahaha, you think so?

(I need a cigarette…)

…Bitter.

(I’ve lost Mikawa’s trail. There’s only two days left, including today… I need to find him somehow and finish this tonight.)

(Ninokuruwa already knows the Lurong family has their hands in this. If I don’t do this right, there'll be no coming back.)

……

Haven’t you been smoking a lot today, Ten?

Huh? Really? I think you’re imagining things.

R-Right…! It’s probably just my imagination!

……

……

…Um, you usually take your cigarette pack out with your left hand, but you’ve been using your right hand recently. Is there something wrong?

…What?

Ah, sorry, I was just curious. I didn’t mean anything weird by it!

(...Why does he keep stepping on my landmines?)

…I’m ambidextrous, so the hand I use changes based on my mood. There’s no real meaning behind it, y’know?

Oh, I see! Being ambidextrous is amazing!

……, ……

(What’s with that face? Does he want to say something? …Oh well. I don’t have time to worry about the dog right now.)

Ah, my bad, Renga-san. It’s time for me to head to the theater for practice. Are you gonna go meet up with the boss and the others?

…A-Are you sure? Um, you did it perfectly yesterday, so if practice is too hard it’s okay to take a little break…

? The hard-worker himself is telling me to slack off? That’s a new one.

(I wouldn’t mind slacking off though…)

With your body in that state.

(...He probably noticed while he was watching me juggle, which means I can't show any weakness today.)

......

I’m talking about how you live your life.

…Tch.

Ten…?

I’m still kinda worried so I’ll go practice. You can go ahead and have fun sightseeing with the boss, Yukikaze-san, and… who was it again?

Ah, yeah. Kafka, Yukikaze and Yachiyo are coming. The chief said he wanted to go watch you guys practice. Let’s all have dinner together tonight!

Sounds good, see ya then.

……

Hup, hup, hoo.

……

S-Stupendous!! You nailed the act in one go!!

[Stupendous, stupendous, clap, clap, clap]

That was really amazing, you two! I’m going to send the video I took to Kafka too!

I’ll go tell the owner about how it turned out! He was also worried about Nor and Rich dropping out!

(I just did it in one shot because I didn’t wanna waste time hanging out here. Oh well, guess it shows that I’m fine.)

……Kaede, once practice is finished, I will be going to work. Is that alright?

Oh, that should be fine! Let’s do our best for the real thing tomorrow!

(Liguang-san must be hiding Mikawa somewhere. Should I tail him…? No, if it’s the Big Deer, he’ll notice right away.)

(It might be better to hack into the city’s security cameras and look into the areas where the Lurong family’s underlings are active…)

Chief, I’m gonna go for a smoke break too. There was a smoking area near the entrance, right?

Oh, yeah. We can head back together after I finish updating Kafka and say goodbye to the manager!

(Hmm, he must be strategically using the camera’s blindspots. Where could the Big Deer have hidden that geezer?)

Sorry for the wait. Today’s practice was amazing! I just talked to the manager, and he said that he’s really looking forward to tomorrow’s performance.

Oh, really? That’s good to hear.

[Awesome, awesome, clap, clap, clap.]

Hehe, this guide robot is pretty cute, isn’t it? His name is Nyanpie-chan apparently.

(It’s just an old model with low intelligence though…)

It felt like you were a lot more into it today than usual. Did something happen to make you want to take it more seriously?

Huh? Was I?

(I just wanted to get it over with, but I guess that’s what it looked like to him…)

Anyways, where’s the manager?

It seems he still can’t get in contact with the owner. It looks like we can get going first—.

Get the owner out here!

Where ya hiding him!?

…Hm?

Huh, w-what’s going on?

[Beep, beep, danger, danger!]

Spit it out, robot! Where’s the owner!

(Ahh, I see. I didn’t think of it because this is a detached area, but maybe this is one of the last target’s…)

Hey, has the owner come out yet? He’s been to this place in person.

(So this is what he meant when he said he’d “start moving.” Guess I’ll hide for now and see what happens.)

[Reporting to police!]

Huh!? Shut up!

It’s shit like this! That makes! Humans poor! Daruma dolls that can’t even fight back!

Nyanpie-chan…!

[Stop, kick, will, break.]

……!

Ah.

Please stop! Even if he’s just a robot, he’s still an important being!

Hah? Do we have a problem, bro? You picking a fight?

I just held you back a little! Don’t kick him anymore…

Shut up, brat!

Ugh…

(Oh dear. He’s weak, but he still went out and ended up falling on his ass.)

If you like this robot so much, I’m gonna smash it to pieces!

[Beep, Beep…Please, help.]

Stop…!

Hah…?

Annnd recorded~. Can I put this on dazzle? I bet it’ll go viral in no time. If you don’t like the sound of that then you should get out of here.

……!

You’re—

……

(C’mon buddy, you gotta control your expression better than that. Can’t let anyone know Tanaka Daka is here.)

……

(You're kinda getting in the way, so could you leave?)

……

H-Hey. That’s enough. We’re leaving for now.

Huh? G-Got it. Let’s go, guys!

……

You good, Chief? Are you hurt anywhere?

Y-Yeah, I’m f-fine… Is Nyanpie-chan…

It doesn’t look like it’s broken.

[Was scary, but, okay.]

T-That’s a relief…

Can you stand?

Ah, um, my knees are a little weak… Sorry, give me a moment.

(His whole body’s shaking… That’s what happens when weak people push themselves.)

I guess I’ll call someone over for now.

W-Wait a second…!

Yeah?

S-Sorry… But I don’t want Kafka and Yuki-nii to see me like this…

……

That’s alright with me. I wanted to have another smoke anyway.

I’ll wait with you until I finish.

…T-Thanks, Ten-kun.

(Don’t get involved in the first place if it’s that scary for you… You’re weak, after all.)